PRHS Preaches that Love is Love

Finding yourself is a big part of growing up. In high school most people struggle with finding themselves, and sometimes feel uncomfortable or self conscious when they realize that they are different.The Equality Club at PRHS provides students with a safe place to be exactly who they are. The Equality Club is mainly a place where education and awareness about the LGBTQ+ community is discussed. It provides a safe environment for the members to talk about the things they please without judgement. When asked about how being in the club impacts him, Lawrence Pimentel says, “Equality Club is a safe place where we can, everyone can be equal. So, it just makes me feel really safe to know that there’s people who are willing to support me and many other people at this school.”

With all the recent events going on with hate speech and the prevalence of discrimination in society. Equality Club provides a secure place for those who may be discriminated against just for things like their sexuality and the way they identify themselves. It is important for our youth to know that it is okay to be different. The adviser of the club for the past three years, Mrs. Goodnow, says, “It’s important to advocate and educate, and that’s sort of our mission is just to make sure that you know, people know that there is a place of support.” High school can be a tough time for people. It is very easy to feel alone, especially when there are people like you that are being ridiculed for who they are in the world. Introducing a place where students can unapologetically be themselves can have a huge impact on how they feel and how they spend the rest of their life. A transgender student that prefers to stay anonymous says, “I think it has impacted me by showing me that I’m not the only LGBTQ+ member at the school and that I’m not alone.” People often join clubs to surround themselves with people that are similar to them. It helps them feel accepted and gives them an outlet to talk about specific things that are important to them or relevant to their lives and the club. The classroom where the meetings are held itself is a warm and welcoming room, perhaps so because it gives off the feeling of acceptance. The adviser has a very calm personality, however she also seems passionate about the subject at hand.

The club recently just established a picnic that they attend with groups similar to their own like GSAs and QSAs from other schools. They have also increased their budget by a great deal regarding the sales that they made off of shirts. The shirts sold for $40 and they sold between 50 and 100 of them. The club plans to make the picnic that they have with other schools even bigger than it already is. They are always looking for more members as well, as they currently have around thirty, there is always room for more. With all the issues that humans as a society are having right now, it is reassuring to know that there are students that feel safe in an environment where they are not discriminated against at school. It is calming to know that there are those who accept and who encourage education and the advocating of such a topical and relevant subject to be spread.